Aquinas' Joslyn Narber joins elite area company with 2,000 career points

Grand Rapids Press File PhotoJoslyn Narber is 29 point shy of Aquinas' career record.The knee brace is a constant reminder to Joslyn Narber that her college
basketball career has not been without its share of pain.

Two games
into her freshman season, the former Wyoming Park standout blew out her
left knee after starting her Aquinas College career with 17 points in
both contests. In her junior year she missed eight games with a torn
meniscus.

That alone makes it remarkable to Narber that she is about to break what looked to be an untouchable scoring record.

Narber
is 29 points away from surpassing Kathy Grzegorski-Johnson’s school
record of 2,037 points. Grzegorski-Johnson set the record in 1984.

“If
you had asked me after those injuries if I had a chance at the record
I’d have said no way,” said Narber, whose team plays U-M Dearbon on
Thursday. “That’s a big chunk of time I missed. But I kept fighting
through it.”

AREA 2,000-POINT SCORERS

MEN

Jared Crandall, Cornerstone (1992-96) -- 2,772

Jim Eppink, Cornerstone (1984-87) -- 2,748

Scott O’Day, Cornerstone (1985-89) -- 2,725

Laray Hardy, Aquinas (1982-86) -- 2,642

Steve Honderd, Calvin (1989-93) -- 2,469

Dennis Johnson, Ferris State (1969-73) -- 2,312

Scot McKnight, Cornerstone (1972-75) -- 2,263

Mark Veenstra, Calvin (1973-77) -- 2,251

John Flynn, Grand Valley State (1998-2002) -- 2,220

Brandon Lowe, Aquinas (1994-98) -- 2,088

Bill Sall, Calvin 1985-90 -- (2,063)

Fred Roh, Grand Valley State (1969-73) -- 2,038

Denny Alexander, Aquinas (1963-67) -- 2,034

Paul Peterman, Grand Valley State (1974-78) -- 2,031

Floyd Brady, Hope (1964-68) -- 2,004

WOMEN

Mary Randle, Grand Valley State (1997-2000) -- 2,156

Val Payne, Grace Bible (2000-03) -- 2,097

Kathy Grzegorski-Johnson, Aquinas (1980-84) -- 2,037

Joslyn Narber, Aquinas (2005-10) -- 2,009

The 34 points she scored in her first two games may
have been a help as well. Although Narber was allowed to medically
redshirt because of a left knee injury, she was allowed to keep her
stats from those two games.

In her freshman year, Narber immediately
made her presence known, but she always had someone down low as an
alternate scoring source. Players such as Whitney Marsh (Byron Center),
Alicia McCarthy (Catholic Central) and Jackie Braspenninx (Ravenna)
helped Narber run loose on the floor.

Now, Narber is the go-to player. Coach Linda Nash is amazed at how well things have gone for Narber.

“Not many players get to this mark,” Nash said. “I’ve never had one in 14 years of coaching.

“Jackie
just missed the 2,000 point club by about 50 points or so. She’s put up
those kinds of numbers and still been able to play any position on the
floor. We move Joslyn all over the place and she can make so many
things happen. She makes scoring so many points in a game look very
easy.”

It also looks easy to opposing coaches.

“We try to defend
her and she just finds a way to score for herself,” Cornerstone coach
Carla Fles said. “There are times we try doubling up on her and you can
see what that results in.”

Narber has thoughts of playing overseas
if her knee holds up and the right offer comes along. For now, she aims
to help Aquinas reach nationals in Sioux City, Iowa, next month.

“I’ve
been really blessed with my teammates looking to get me the ball.
Scoring wise, this has been the toughest year,” Narber said. “We’ve had
good people over the years that scored, but this year I’m walking out
of games with bruises all over my arms. I really get beat up."